My Boss's Son

Chapter 38

Jake walked through the door and his heart stopped. He could not believe his eyes. Was this one of his fantasy dreams where he dreamt that the past became the present once more? A smile played across Valarie's face as Ariel stood to her feet. She could already tell that this was going to be a special moment indeed.

"I'll leave you two alone for a few" she said, getting up from the chair.

She patted Jake of his arm and left him alone with the ghost who had returned from the dead. The air was still, both stared at each other without moving a single hair on their bodies. Jake choked on his words and his lips pried open.

"A-Ariel?" he managed.

"Jake" she whispered.

"How did you-? What are you-?"

He walked up to her still stunned. His eyes searched around the room.

"Is your parents here?"

"No. It's just me."

"How did you get here? Do they know that you are here? I just don't want them to hurt you anymore."

"They don't know. I ran away from home a while ago when I finished my degree in law and private investigations."

"What! You ran away from home? Why would you do that?" his voice was laced with worry.

"To find you."

He paused and tilted his head to the side. "To find me?" he said in disbelief.

"I thought I could do it. I thought I could stay without you." She started to break down.

"I thought that it would have been best to keep you away from my family and save you the headache. I didn't think that it would be worth it to fight because before I saw no escape. My parents had me on a leash that I thought could not be broken. It was driving me crazy. To be without your touch or to hear your voice or just to be near you. I made up my mind that I had to find you again. It was worth the sacrifice. So when I finished school, I worked a bit to save some money so that I can come here to see you. Maybe you no longer feel the same about me but if this means I get to see you one last time then it is worth it."

Jake's heart was melting.

"You ran away from your family to be with me?"

A drop of tears leaked from her eyes and she nodded. He took a few steps closer to her and wrapped his hands around her neck.

"Gawd I missed you. I missed you so much. I could barely function for a long time after you left. Every night I slept I would dream of the day I meet you again and now you are actually here. I could just kiss you right now."

"So kiss me" she said.

Jake's lips quirked up into a little smile and he pressed his lips against hers. In the books and movies, one would express seeing a burst of fireworks during a longing kiss but it was exactly that in reality. Electricity ran through their bodies as their lips entangled, drinking each other in. He pulled his lips away from her and pressed his forehead against hers. They stared into each other's eyes and smiled. It was good to feel complete once again, it was good to be 'home'.

**

<Three days prior the wedding>

Valarie had her bags packed to go but she sat flat on the floor like a lost puppy, whining about how much she did not want to go.

"Val you know you don't have to go right?"

"I know, it's just that he asked me and Irena keeps calling me to find out if I am coming and I would just feel too guilty if I don't go."